White House turns screw on China over North Korea

President Trump welcomed Xi Jinping to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in AprilCARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS

President Trump will increase pressure on China today over trade, adding an economic dimension to his efforts to enlist Beijing’s support in the North Korean nuclear crisis.

A memo to be signed by Mr Trump in Washington will order a study into alleged intellectual property violations, part of a litany of grievances against China that were part of his campaign.

Bejiing is accused of failing to stop businesses stealing trade secrets from American companies and engaging in counterfeiting and piracy. US companies complain that the Chinese government unfairly obtains valuable patents and licences from them as the price of entry into its market.

The study, expected to take a year, will decide whether a formal investigation leading to retaliatiory measures is justified. It risks deepening…